


do we really have to...?

by PenelopeJadewing



Series: fictober 2018 [17]
Category: Naruto, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: F/M, Gen, Halloween, Sasuke's definitely jealous, Unreliable Narrator, costume party prep, hinted ItaIzu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 05:39:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16469795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenelopeJadewing/pseuds/PenelopeJadewing
Summary: Shisui's invited Itachi and Sasuke to an awesome costume party at his place for Halloween. From what Sasuke hears, lots of UA students will be there and Sasuke will get to meet them and talk to them about Hero stuff. Trouble is, Shisui also invited HER.Izumi.





	do we really have to...?

Sasuke likes attention. Or… maybe that’s not it. He likes  _Itachi’s_  attention. Yeah, that’s more like it. He likes having Itachi’s attention, because Itachi’s his favorite person and he wants to be the best little brother ever, so if Itachi’s paying attention to him then that means he’s doing something right.

It would then obviously stand to reason that if Itachi is  _not_  paying attention, then Sasuke’s doing something  _wrong_.

He most certainly doesn’t like that.

In some cases, this makes him angry because sometimes, he doesn’t know what it is he’s doing wrong, only that it isn’t working. This time, though, it’s not hard at all to figure out why his brother’s all spacey all of the sudden.

They’re heading to  _Izumi’s_ house.

If real witches exist, Sasuke’s sure she is one.

Itachi’s holding his hand as they go, but not  _really_  holding it, not like he usually does. No, he’s too busy staring ahead, watching the sidewalk and occasionally glancing at the costumed pedestrians that pass them by right and left. He looks a little anxious; Sasuke’s not sure why. He’s dressed up like most of the adults walking around, with a traditional white and red animal mask and black jacket and everything that makes him look like some kind of ninja.

Sasuke’s dressed up too, in a fake bulletproof vest, red under armor, black pants with shin guard things, and what Shisui calls a ‘butt cape’ which always makes Sasuke stick his tongue out at him. Father’s Hero costume is awesome. Which is why Sasuke wanted to dress up like him for Halloween this year.

He’s pretty proud of his costume. He’s proud of Itachi’s too. So why does Itachi look so nervous?

What’s more, he’s walking so fast. Sasuke has to take two whole steps for every one of Itachi’s! He starts to grumble after half a block of struggling.

“Nnngh, nii-san, slow down!”

“We don’t want to be late,” Itachi murmurs back, not even glancing at him. Instead, his gaze has shifted to the houses they’re walking past, darting over them like he’s counting them.

Sasuke just grumps. He understands enough about growing up to know that apparently, being on time is important to most people… Still. If he keeps having to walk like this, his feet will get tired. And somehow, Sasuke doesn’t think Itachi will be offering to carry him piggy-back tonight.

No, wouldn’t want to look childish in front of his new high school friends. Sasuke wrinkles his nose.

Ever since Itachi started going to U.A., he’s been acting so weird. Maybe it’s because Itachi’s younger than everybody else there and it’s going to his head, making him act all grown up. Or maybe there are stronger kids there who start fights. What if Itachi’s getting picked on by bigger kids? Sasuke scowls at the very thought. He doesn’t think it’s likely; Itachi doesn’t just roll over to dumb people, and bullies are definitely dumb people, but Sasuke still doesn’t appreciate the idea that anybody would be mean to Itachi for any reason.

Or maybe… it’s  _her_. Izumi.

That’s the worst option of all and Sasuke doesn’t want to think about it. Not when thinking about it also makes him think of all the movies.

“Do we really have to do this again?” Sasuke mutters, sinking into a self-imposed pout.

Finally, Itachi actually looks down at him. He seems surprised by the question. “Hm? We’ve never done this before.”

“No,” Sasuke grumps, “not the party. Izumi.”

“What about her?”

“Why does she have to come along _again_?”

After a contemplative blink, Itachi returns his eyes to the road and, at last, stops just outside a small fenced-in yard, which encloses a dark grey house with white trim. “Because Shisui invited her too. And it’s better when friends walk together.”

Sasuke moans. “But why did Shisui invite her??”

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.” Itachi pushes the little gate with the scalloped top inward and, releasing Sasuke’s hand, strides toward the steps that lead up into her house.

Sasuke stops at the gate and waits, stewing. He doesn’t feel like greeting her. Just because Shisui invited her to come along with them to his costume party with all his big-kid friends doesn’t mean anything. What’s so special about her anyway? Sasuke doesn’t get it. She’s smiley and obnoxious. And she never lets Itachi have any space to  _breathe_ much less get a word in edgewise while she prattles on and on about school or books or her cat or her  _anything_  that nobody else cares about. She’s a total flake.

Before Itachi can even reach the door, it swings open and out bounds the object of his loathing. Or at least… he thinks it might be her. The thing that just burst out of the house hops down the steps with a beaming grin, sporting a red, white, blue and yellow All Might leotard and matching hood, with the blond ears and everything. But when she finally stops moving, in front of Itachi, Sasuke can see that indeed, it is the witch herself. Her long brown hair is peeking out from under the hood, and there’s no mistaking her brown eyes and beauty mark. He’s pretty sure that’s the source of her magical power—the one that makes even Itachi stop and listen to what she has to say, no matter how mindless.

What else could it be?

Not to be deterred by the fact that everyone knows Itachi doesn’t like unexpected physical touch, this girl has the gall to scoop up Itachi’s hands in both of hers and bounces with enough raw enthusiasm to put a golden retriever to shame. It makes Sasuke cringe.

“I’m so excited!” she exclaims like this isn’t already obvious, positively beaming. “I get to meet your friends from U.A.! I bet they’re all super cool. ”

“Uh, I… don’t really have many friends actually,” Itachi stutters awkwardly—what’s wrong with him?? He _never_  stutters!—scratching at his ear, “but yes, some of my classmates will be there.”

While Izumi responds with unruffled energy ( _is she actually tucking Itachi’s hair behind his ear?? Can’t she tell she’s making him uncomfortable!?_ ), Sasuke just purses his lips and tries to look as sullen as he possibly can. Maybe if Itachi can tell he’s upset, he won’t keep forgetting about him.

While she’s in the middle of rambling about something, Sasuke just clears his throat nice and loud to interrupt. “We should go. We don’t wanna be late.”

Again— _again!_ —Itachi seems startled by Sasuke’s interjection, while Izumi pretends to notice Sasuke for the first time. Pretends—she has to, because she had to know he was coming. Mother had told her on the phone, Sasuke heard her. She was just too busy making googley eyes at his brother. Not paying any attention to her surroundings. She’s doing an injustice to her costume.

They come over and Izumi bends over so she can look Sasuke in the eye. She offers him a cutesy smile, like they’re friends or something. Ha. In her dreams. “Hi Sasuke-chan! You look so cool—you make a great Susano’o.”

He just clicks his tongue and turns away, dismissing her without a word. In his peripheral vision, he finds she doesn’t even satisfy him with a crestfallen expression. Instead, she keeps on smiling, stands up, and turns to Itachi.

“Well, are we ready to go?”

Itachi nods and smiles back at her. Like, actually smiles the smile he usually only gives to Sasuke and _this is unacceptable_. “Right. Off to Shisui’s.”

“To Shisui’s!” She throws her fist in the air and initiates a march out of her front yard. Itachi follows behind, laughing a little, and Sasuke trails at the back, his scowl growing stormier by the second.

It seems he’ll be forced to resort to desperate measures this evening. It’s time for him to get serious. This is his brother’s affection that’s at stake, after all. He can’t just let her take it all so easily. Not a chance. Itachi is  _his_  brother. Only Sasuke is allowed to bring that special soft smile to his face like that. It’s not fair!

Operation: Anti-Izumi is a go.


End file.
